D’Andre Jones (left) and Tanner Pettigrew (right)
D’Andre Jones and Tanner Pettigrew will face off in a runoff election on Dec. 1 to determine the winner of the Ward 1, Position 2 seat on the Fayetteville City Council.
Both hope to replace Sarah Marsh, who did not file for re-election.
Jones took 3,108 votes (38%) and Pettigrew received 2,413 votes (30%), while challengers Pedro Fimbres (20%) and Oroo Oyioka (12%) saw their campaigns end Tuesday night.
Ward 1 Results
The final, unofficial results were:
D’Andre Jones – 3,108 (38%)
Tanner Pettigrew – 2,413 (30%)
Pedro Fimbres – 1,577 (20%)
Oroo Oiyoka – 988 (12%)
Ward 1 Candidates
The following candidates ran for election in Ward 1 this year. All candidates were sent a request for more information about their candidacy. Responses were posted in the order they were received.
» D’Andre Jones
» Tanner Pettigrew
» Oroo Oyioka
» Pedro Fimbres (did not respond)
In Arkansas, if a single candidate does not win a majority of the votes, the two people with the most votes head to a runoff election unless the leading candidate receives more than 40% of the votes and is ahead of the runner-up by 20%.
Jones is a local social worker and community advocate who said he’s spent nearly 10 years working for his neighbors through various channels, including president of the Northwest Arkansas Democratic Black Caucus, chair of the Civil Rights Commission, chair of Mayor Lioneld Jordan’s African American Advisory Council, and secretary of the Civil Service Commission.
If elected, Jones said he’ll focus on public health, economic parity, environmental justice, and pushing for “a smarter approach” to safety and criminal justice.
“I will work to promote effective community policing to build trust and keep Ward 1 safe,” Jones said. “Trust between communities and law enforcement is essential.”
Jones raised the most money in Ward 1, gathering $9,724 in contributions with 33 donors giving more than $50, according to his pre-election campaign finance report.
Pettigrew is a sales manager and executive broker at Rausch Coleman Homes who was born in Fayetteville, attended college in Jonesboro and briefly lived in Alabama before moving back to Fayetteville in 2016.
He said he had a hard time finding an affordable and safe place to live, so if elected, he’ll focus on affordable housing.
“Young people and families who work in Fayetteville and want to make their home here are often cut out of both the buying and rental markets due to rising real estate prices,” he said. “I believe in preserving what makes Fayetteville special, but, at the same time, recognizing our need to grow in a way to allow for more affordable housing across town.”
Pettigrew reported the second-most money in Ward 1 at $8,966 with 12 donors who gave more than $50, according to his pre-election campaign finance report.
Outgoing Council Member Sarah Marsh was first elected in 2012 as an unchallenged candidate. She was then re-elected in 2016 after taking 66% of the votes against Paul Phaneuf.
Marsh has since been present for 183 out of 200 council meetings for a 92% attendance record. She said that after eight years of service, she plans to focus on her career and would like more flexibility to travel.
Ward 1 encompasses south and southeast Fayetteville, including the areas south of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Huntsville Road. Mount Sequoyah, Happy Hollow Elementary, and Ramay Junior High School are also included in Ward 1.
City Council members are paid $12,504 per year.
